The invention is directed to a connector system usable in a power distribution application.
It is well known in the connector industry to provide coaxial connectors of the type where a male coaxial connector is comprised of a conductive center conductor and a mateable female connector is provided with a central female conductor, which cooperates with the male conductor for electric conductivity. An outer conductor coaxially surrounds the central conductors of both the male and female connector to provide a neutral conductor. It is also known to provide coaxial cable where a central conductor is connected to either the male or female central conductor. The coaxial cable also has an outer conductor, which is electrically connectable to the outer conductor of the male or female connector. Obviously, connection between the male and female connector can be made by any type of latching arrangement, but it is common to have a screw type or bayonet style interconnection between the male and female connectors. It is also known that the connection between the male and female connectors will thereby provide continuity between the central and outer conductors of the connected coaxial cables.
One of the shortcomings in the market place exists in the energy distribution application, where cable of the above-described version is used to distribute AC energy even up to several hundred volts. The problem does not exist in the ability of the cable to handle that type of voltage distribution, but rather the cable is often tapped into for energy stealing. The cables are typically tapped into at a point of interconnection from the utility company. It would therefore be desirable to provide a solution to the above-mentioned shortcomings.